Category: food

Take ‘N’ Bake Revolution: Papa Murphy’s

Who knew there was a pizza revolution taking place right underneath our noses? Forget frozen pizzas or even delivery, it seems the new movements is towards fresh-made pie, to be baked right in your home oven.

Though grocery stores have offered deli-made pizzas for years, businesses that specialize in take ‘n bake pizzas are relatively new to Edmonton. Papa Murphy’s opened its first shop in the city back in 2007, and now have six locations in the Edmonton area (their eventual plan is to expand to a total of 17 stores).

Papa Murphy’s trumpets their commitment of using always fresh, never frozen ingredients. Moreover, in an effort to set themselves apart from the likes of Pizza Hut, Panago and Domino’s, they emphasize the fact that their carryout pizzas will be hot out of your oven.

Armed with a 2-for-1 coupon, Mack and I stopped by the Papa Murphy’s around the corner from the Italian Centre South on our way home on Saturday, eager for an easy dinner option after a long day. It was empty, though in their defence, it was after 7pm. We were faced with twenty options, not including the possibility of a custom order. Pizzas ranged in price from $9.99 for a medium cheese pizza to $22.99 for a family-size double-layered grilled chicken and bacon-stuffed pizza. We decided on a more restrained choice, a medium Papa’s All Meat (mozzarella, ham, salami, pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, provolone, cheddar) and a medium Rancher (mozzarella, ham, pepperoni, ground beef, onions, provolone, cheddar), both priced at $13.99.

Papa Murphy’s

Our pizzas were assembled right before our eyes, Subway-style, complete with a sheet of reheating instructions. My favourite line on the guide: “Please bake before eating”.

Assembling our pizza

Ready to take home

The staff were friendly, though our question about freezing a pizza seemed to throw them off – there was no way Mack and I would be able to eat our way through two pizzas at one sitting. The staff person said it could be done, but warned us to thaw it thoroughly before baking it, to prevent a soggy, uneven crust.

Fifteen minutes in the preheated oven back at home, dinner was ready. We had baked the pizza on the included tray, opting to see how well it worked. No surprise, it didn’t hold a candle to the result on a pizza stone, but was better than using a conventional baking sheet. The pizza also wasn’t overly greasy, and contained a solid amount of both toppings and cheese. All in all, it was a tasty pizza.

Papa’s All Meat, ready to eat

Though we enjoyed the pizza, I’m not sold on the take ‘n’ bake concept. Sure, it’s great that the toppings are fresh, and it could be convenient to pick up a pizza on the way home after work, but if I was looking for a quick fix, I’m fairly certain I would prefer calling for delivery, particularly if it would only end up costing me a few dollars more (and, well, I like Panago). That said, given the increasing number of Papa Murphy’s locations in the city, it looks like take ‘n’ bake has found some fans in Edmonton.

Papa Murphy’s
10431 51 Avenue (5 other locations in Edmonton and area)
(780) 476-7272

Food Notes for April 26, 2010

Though some of the network shows are drawing to a close, I’m happy that the second season of Top Chef Masters began airing on Food Network, and, well, that The Hills and The City begin their new seasons this week! Anyway, on to this week’s food notes:

They’re no Fat Franks, but they hit the spot

  • There has been lots of development on Whyte lately! As Jim pointed out a couple of weeks ago, Nhon Hoa’s third location (10154 82 Avenue, 780-757-9988) has now opened in the space formerly occupied by Bubble Juice, next to Flirt Cupcakes. Looks like Vietnamese subs might be finally reaching mainstream status in Edmonton.

Nhon Hoa (3)

  • Chris noted that Cafe Beirut, a Lebanese bistro, is forthcoming on Whyte (10812 82 Avenue, 780-988-8821). A few doors up, Press Cafe & Bistro (10846 82 Avenue) will be moving into the space vacated by Scottish Imports.

Press Cafe & Bistro (and if you guessed that this was again taken from a bus, you are right!)

 

Sarah’s too-cute Belua Designs monsters

 

Beautiful tomatoes from Gull Valley Greenhouses

Lovely bell peppers also from Gull Valley

Fresh Gastropub Flavours: Red Star Pub

Prior to attending the Edmonton Rush game on Friday, Mack and I met up with Thom and Lana at Red Star. A casual pub seemed to be a good spot to grab a drink and a bite to eat before taking in the lacrosse action, especially when we could just hop on the convenient LRT at Bay or Corona Stations to whisk us away to Rexall Place.

I was eager to try Red Star at some point, seeing as Chef Daniel Costa’s current standing as one of the city’s up-and-coming young kitchen stars, with recent profiles in the Journal and Parlour. I could see how his focus on elevating simple cuisine and fresh flavours could attract a loyal following.

Mack and I had expected the downtown after-work crowd to fill Red Star to the seams, but seeing as it felt like the first true spring day, most were probably filling the outdoor patio seats instead. The building that houses Red Star is also currently under renovations, the unfortunate consequence of this being that the businesses underneath are obscured by unsightly orange tarps, further screening natural light into the already dim space.

Thankfully, the exterior aesthetics didn’t seem to affect the service, or the light atmosphere inside the bar. We were greeted immediately by the server, who directed us to sit anywhere we wanted. We were promptly given food and drink menus (I loved the tag cloud-like design on the back of both of them). Red Star proudly advertises their large beer menu, featuring sixty different brews. In contrast, the food selection is limited to a dozen or so dishes, but given the advisory printed at the bottom (“This is a one man kitchen. Food is served when ready. Please be patient. Enjoy.”), that is entirely understandable. With its emphasis on local suppliers and slant towards comfort food share plates, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Sebastian Lysz’s last menu at Devlin’s. Mack and I had some difficulty deciding between the mini burgers/not sliders and the braised meatballs ($16), but ended up with the latter, as well as an order of gnudi ($16).

Food menu

We were primed to be patient for the food, but it seemed no one else in the pub was interested in anything other than drinks, so our plates arrived sooner than expected. The gnudi (dumplings made of ricotta cheese) were pillow-soft, and tossed with tomatoes and zucchini, made for a comforting, but not too heavy dish.

Gnudi

The tender, tasty meatballs, made with a blend of Pembina pork and Spring Creek Ranch beef, were the star. The greens really were the perfect accompaniment, adding a freshness that rounded out the dish nicely.

Braised meatballs

With an interesting menu starring fresh, local ingredients, how could I not be back? See you again, Red Star.

Red Star Pub
10534 Jasper Avenue
(780) 428-0825

The Cooking Chronicles: Dinners by Giada

I’m not ashamed to admit I’m a Food Network baby. Not in the sense that I was raised in front of the channel, but coddled and comforted by their flashy, entertaining programming until I was ready to cook myself.

I also admit that I’m not one of those people has been experimenting in the kitchen since I was three. Save for occasional adventures in baking, my time in the kitchen up until a few years ago was spent eating my mother’s food. So for me, the easy but tasty recipes put forth by Food Network chefs provided an uncomplicated gateway to cooking.

Giada de Laurentiis was one of the first food personalities I latched on to. On Everyday Italian, her food looked beautiful, her techniques were straightforward, and her flavours were approachable (her panna cotta recipe is still my go-to dessert for potlucks). It took me a while to actually buy one of her books, as many of her recipes are online, but I eventually added Everyday Italian and Everyday Pasta to my collection.

Now, though I find her show a bit grating sometimes (the Giada drinking game would involve “peppery” arugula, and the phrase, “just like that”), I still uncover inspiration in her cookbooks. And while some of her recipes involve things that I wouldn’t normally have on hand, two recent meals were pantry approved.

Creamy Orzo

Simple and flavourful (it helps when there is a lot of cream involved), this creamy orzo recipe, featuring diced tomatoes and peas is appealing to the eye, and as comforting as macaroni and cheese. I served it with some sliced prosciutto to make it even more rich.

Creamy orzo

Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup

While the weather still had that pre-spring chill in the air, Giada’s Tuscan white bean and garlic soup was the perfect warming cure. Silky from the pureed white beans and some cream, a bowl made a great light meal paired with a green salad.

Tuscan white bean and garlic soup

Who’s your favourite Food Network personality?

Whimsical Cake Studio: Garneau Edition

have a soft spot for Whimsical Cake Studio (I have to stop myself from referring to them as “Whimsical Cupcakes” every time). Whimsical was one of the first full-time cupcake purveyors in the city, before the cupcake colonization of Whyte Avenue. It was also their cupcakes that initially drew me to the City Centre Market, where I now spend nearly every Saturday morning between May and October. Moreover, picking up a couple of their cupcakes was an annual tradition for a few years running, the perfect single-serving treat to help ring in a friend’s September birthday.

Whimsical Cake Studio at the City Centre Market

Edmonton’s cupcake landscape has changed in the past few years. Several home-based cupcake businesses have sprung up, as well as Flirt, The Cake Studio, and two locations of Fuss. Whimsical Cake Studio was tucked for several years in the suburban recesses of Riverbend, where I only had the opportunity to visit once, but this month, they moved into their renovated, more visible location right next to the Garneau Theatre (the best news about their move, besides the fact that combined with T2, daCapo, High Level Diner and the Sugar Bowl, among others, this little strip is a force to be reckoned with, is that a walkable cupcakery crawl is now possible!). Mack and I checked our their new digs over the weekend on our way home from the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market.

Whimsical Cake Studio

It’s a bright and beautiful space, hues of sweet baby blue and cotton candy pink contrasting with the stalwart heritage brick. A small seating area with brightly coloured, albeit a haphazard collection, of lounge chairs occupies one side, right next to a sprinkle station (too cute). I love how customers are able to peer into the open bakery, between the racks of still-cooling and just-iced cupcakes. Prices are slightly cheaper than nearby cupcakeries ($2.75/cupcake vs. $2.95 and $16 for half a dozen).

Interior

Sprinkle station!

Cupcakes galore

We picked up four cupcakes to share with Mack’s Grandma later that night – raspberry, cookies and cream, Smarties and hazelnut chocolate. They hit the spot – moist and not too sweet, we all enjoyed them (I loved the addition of crushed Smarties on mine too – the extra crunch and pop of colour made it more fun to eat).

Our cupcake bounty

I’ll be back to Whimsical Cake Studio some time, most likely in combination with a coffee at daCapo or T2, or before a movie next door at Garneau. Note also that Whimsical is hosting their grand opening on April 17 – nothing says happiness like free cake samples!

Whimsical Cake Studio
8716 109 Street
(780) 988-2253
Monday 11am-5pm, Tuesday-Friday 10am-7pm, Saturday 10am-5pm

Food Notes for April 12, 2010

I can’t believe the writers did that to Jack (24). The only solace is that other fans of the show seem to be as enraged as I feel. Anyway, here are this week’s food notes:

  • I know I’ve been egging everyone on about getting Indulgence tickets early, but it turned out to be a typo on the Slow Food website. So – the tickets will actually go on sale after April 30 (and this year, hopefully online as well!).
  • deVine Wines is celebrating the opening of Southgate and Century Park LRT stops on April 24 with free bubbles at their store (at Bay/Enterprise Square). How cool would it be if a shop along every stop offered something similar?
  • I love that the debate on backyard chickens is finally reaching a head in Edmonton. All the power to the River City Chicken Collective (how could you not love a name like that?).
  • The Journal kicked off its new series of local “celebrity chefs” with an article about Bill Eddins, conductor with the ESO, and apparent master in the kitchen. They also had a feature on the city’s upscale bathrooms – wonder how many will be prompted to visit a restaurant just for a peek at the loo?
  • Vue published an interview with Yvan Chartrand, the new owner of Tree Stone Bakery, last week (besides bagels, he’ll be introducing doughnuts to their product line). The same issue also contained a review of a five-course raw dinner at Refresh Organic Bistro.
  • Kabuki, the newest sushi purveyor in Edmonton, was reviewed positively in See Magazine this week.
  • Food lovers (especially those who love to live vicariously through decadent descriptions and photos), must read Valerie’s post on her experience at The Fat Duck. I felt like I was with her at the table.
  • Hurrah, the Greens, Eggs and Ham website is finally live!
  • Need a knife? Check out Chris’s post on Knifewear, a Calgary store that features a vegetable station where you can try before you buy!
  • The NYT published a good read about the current food photography obsession. I feel exactly the same as the man in the article who indicated that seeing a photo triggers vibrant memories of the situation surrounding when it was taken.
  • On the topic of the Times – I’m not sure about the invasion of critic Sam Sifton’s privacy, but I love that he tried a Double Down (KFC’s new breadless fried chicken sandwich) on the day of its debut.
  • Also in NY – though it must be stressful for both the critics to maintain their anonymity and for restaurants to continuously chip away at it, I find it fascinating that bulletins like this on the city’s food writers exist. I don’t think it’ll ever come to that in Edmonton.
  • I’m not sure a hotel with a Starbucks is as much of a draw to me as for those interviewed for this article, but sometimes, the feeling of seeing an SBUX when in an unfamiliar place is comforting.
  • This is a great piece on the guy that started Five Guys – I love his quality-driven philosophy.
  • I caught a few minutes of an episode of Cupcake Girls on the W Network, a reality show about Heather and Lori, the two women behind Cupcakes, the successful cupcakery in Vancouver. In the episode, they were whining about having to learn how to bake the cupcakes themselves – I have to say I was reminded (and not positively) of Lynn Crawford’s demeanour in Pitchin’ In.
  • I’ve been trying to catch Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, though some of it does seem too good to be true. Grub Street has some links to stories that cover the fallout of his filming.
  • While at Credo last week, I noticed that Lit Wine Bar had put up additional signage. That’s the most I’ve seen done on the storefront for some time – perhaps it’s not long until TZiN finally has some cross-street competition.

 

Lit Wine Bar

  • Pho Tau Bay is finally open again, and has been since April 1. Not having lunch on Friday wasn’t such a bad thing when it meant I could order a steaming bowl of beef noodle soup. Yum.

 

Pho with well done flank and tendon

  • Mack and I went to OPM to help Megan celebrate her birthday yesterday. The food was all right (calamari had a nice heat level, but was a bit on the salty side, but I liked the yam fries). It was interesting to see that they had a gluten-free menu, as well as vegetarian substitutions for their meat-based dishes.

 

Wok-fired squid

O

range ginger beef

 

Yam fries

Marathon Dinner: Melting Pot

Fondue, whether savoury or sweet, is definitely not something I grew up with. It’s been a novel concept that I’ve experimented with recently as a fun alternative to an entrée-based meal, but not something I’ve thoroughly explored.

That said, I was really curious to try Melting Pot, a US-based chain that opened its first Canadian franchise location in Edmonton back in March. Based on some of the comments on their Facebook group, many within and outside of the city were holding their breath in anticipation of the restaurant, and were disappointed it wasn’t opening sooner.

We met Bruce and Sarah at Melting Pot last Saturday. It’s not the best location, in a strip mall off Calgary Trail (next to Cora’s), in terms of public transit accessibility or ability to see it from the freeway. Our server later told us that most Melting Pot branches are similarly placed, off the beaten path and never in a standalone building.

The surroundings are immediately forgotten upon stepping foot inside the restaurant, however, accented by a modern fireplace, sleek lobby furnishings, and a glass cube wine case.

Wine case

As mentioned in the Journal review, the dining room is built like a labyrinth. While some seating areas are more open (like the one we were eventually led to), in a journey to locate the washroom, I wandered through several dim corridors and past booths tucked at an angle that promote intimacy like none I’ve seen before. And while I wouldn’t consider cheese fondue to be the most sensual dish, in the privacy of your unseen booth, I suppose it could be.

Our four-top was located in the lounge, with a full view of the bar, and ended up being a better place to be, noise-wise, than the adjacent dining room that housed several large groups. A single induction burner was set into the centre of the granite countertop, and thus could only accommodate one pot. It meant that save for ordering a salad, everyone in the party had to agree on the selections of savoury and sweet fondues.

Thankfully, the four of us were on the same page, and weren’t beset by allergies that would impact our options. We were told that Melting Pot had a feature menu that would change every six months. The current theme was “Pacific Islands”, highlighted in their Big Night Out four-course meal, which included a cheese fondue, a salad, a savoury fondue, and a dessert fondue. Prices ranged from $90 to $106 per couple, depending upon the inclusion of lobster tails. Our group chose the mid-range option dubbed Fondue Fusion ($98), though we could have substituted a fondue type off of the regular menu as well.

The Feng Shui cheese fondue was prepared tableside. Our server handily combined a generous pour of white wine (copious amounts of wine were a pattern that night), mirin, sake, Gruyère and horseradish and chive Havarti and stirred it until it formed a creamy consistency. We were offered a selection of dippers, including bread, apples, and vegetables. The alcohol content was more apparent on the vegetables (which all needed to be blanched) and bread, so the clear favourite dipper were the apples, with their sweetness cutting through the tang of the alcohol.

Feng Shui Cheese Fondue

The feature salad was lettuce wraps with cucumber, carrots, bean sprouts, mint and almonds with a spicy orange-ginger dressing. Though it was a refreshing combination following the dense, heavy cheese course, we agreed it was probably an unnecessary filler.

Lettuce Wraps

The main course was a sight to see, a jumble of sectional plates, brightly-coloured sauces, cutlery and billowing smoke from our fondue pot. We had chosen the Coq au Vin, which again, was prepared tableside, and featured a hearty splash of burgundy wine, fresh herbs, mushrooms and garlic (at this point, Mack remarked at how this was essentially a version of hot pot). As the mixture heated up, our server noted rough cooking times for our various proteins (lobster tail, sesame crusted teriyaki sirloin, citrus infused pork tenderloin, sushi-grade ahi tuna, garlic chili chicken breast, kiwi lime shrimp) and identified the seven accompanying sauces we had at our disposal. No doubt about it, the servers at the Melting Pot had a more demanding job than servers at other casual upscale chains.

Coq au Vin Fondue

It was definitely a fun process, cooking up the various items and experimenting with different sauce combinations. The cream cheese-based green goddess sauce was a big hit with Bruce and Mack, while I was partial to the yogurt-based curry sauce. Mack, surprisingly, liked the ahi tuna the most, and I really enjoyed the dumplings, but what amazed me the most was how forgiving all of the items were in the event of overcooking. Between the prep of the proteins and the sauces, I could see how Melting Pot can justify their prices – many are willing to pay for the convenience and hassle-free experience they provide.

Cooking with wine

Sarah and I took care of the dessert fondue selection, though it was actually a really difficult choice (oreo? amaretto?). We ended up with the Ying & Yang, a basic mix of white and dark chocolate.

Ying & Yang Chocolate Fondue

Between moments of intense enjoyment (featuring strawberries, bananas, pineapple, cheesecake, marshmallows, pound cake and most of all the brownies), we all agreed that this was the best course of all. The chocolate was smooth and decadent, and not overwhelmingly sweet. It was unanimous that this fondue alone was worth returning for, and could make Melting Pot Edmonton’s best dessert destination.

The dessert spread

By the time we licked the chocolate bowl clean, four hours had passed. No, that isn’t a typo – four hours had passed. Of course, we were doing our share of conversing during dinner, which made for a great evening (and the pacing meant we were comfortably and not uncomfortably full), but we learned that choosing the Big Night Out meant committing several hours of time to the restaurant. Though some patrons may visit for single courses, we figured the majority of their business was the four course bonanza, and wondered how busy it would be on most weeknights. Regardless, I would highly recommend the dessert fondue at the Melting Pot, and the restaurant itself for a unique dinner experience.

Melting Pot
#117, 2920 Calgary Trail
780-465-4DIP (4347)
Monday-Thursday 4:30-10pm, Friday-Saturday 4-11pm, Sunday 4-10pm

Culinary Q & A with Lillian Leung

Occupation: Speech-Language Pathologist with K.I.D.S (Kindergarten Inclusive Developmental Services)- Edmonton Public Schools. I help Kindergarten kids that may have difficulties understanding or producing language.

What did you eat today?  

Had a pack of Thin Addictives (these cranberry – almond cookies) on the drive to work. Also had some strawberry yogurt somewhere in the morning. For lunch, I had half a donair from High Voltage. Still good, even though it was left-overs. The tzatziki sauce over meat, lettuce, tomatoes all wrapped up into pita, then grilled with a special spice on top is incredibly tasty! Dinner was pretty simple as I was in a rush. I toasted a sun-dried tomato ciabatta sandwich with provolone, smoked turkey slices, tomato and cucumber as I had just gone to the Italian Centre for groceries.

What do you never eat?

Cilantro. I cannot bear the taste of this herb. It’s strong and way too pungent. I feel it takes away from the taste of whatever it was supposed to garnish.

What is your personal specialty?

My personal specialty would be baking desserts. Banana breads, chocolate-chip granola cream-cheese, chocolate spice and ginger-bread cookies, brownies,and creme brulee to name a few.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find: 

A chunk of Piave Vecchio (my favorite cheese!), romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, a dip from the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market and my home-made salad dressing.

What is your weekday meal standby?

A salad made with the above ingredients and usually with some sort of meat on top such as chicken, steak, or pork. 

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My glass mixing bowls by Anchor. I got them for my birthday and they are amazing. They are quite heavy, but the weight is perfect so they don’t move around too much when I’m using the hand mixer. They are also great for baking, mixing a salad or even marinating meat.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

It would have to include salmon sashimi from Sushi Wasabi, smoked salmon with lemon juice & capers, calamari (probably the way Milestones does it), Dadeo’s sweet potato fries, a beautifully done steak, chicken shawarma (from Barakats in London, ON), a plate of macarons, Haagan Daaz Vanilla & Almond ice cream bar, creme brulee, a scoop of green tea ice cream and finally, two or three Ya pears depending on how much room I will have left!

Where do you eat out most frequently? 

This depends if it is a sit down or take out meal. If I’m heading out somewhere, then I will take out from Dadeo’s, High Voltage, or Maki Maki. If it’s a sit down meal then it would be any of the previous 3, along with Manna Noodle and Famoso. Oh and of course Transcend and DaCapo for coffee!

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

This is hard to decide. I would say Culina is the best for brunch, lunch and dinner. However, if you wanted sushi, then Sushi Wasabi would be my pick. Oh and of course the Duchess Bake shop for their pastries and macarons.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

While I would enjoy the food in Italy, I would pick Paris mainly for the fresh baguettes, breads, pastries, cheese, wine, all their desserts, but especially the macarons!

Lillian blogs at Beyond Umami.

Steakhouse Elegance: Bistecca

Four months ago, my friend Janice relocated to Toronto. She came back to visit last week, and, craving some good ol’ Alberta Beef, asked for a steakhouse recommendation for our gathering. As the group had yet to try Bistecca, the newest addition to the Sorrentino’s family, it seemed like a good choice.

We met there on Wednesday night. It was a quiet evening in the restaurant, with only half a dozen tables occupied over our entire stay. I was the first of our party to arrive, which gave me some time to admire the décor and soak up the ambiance. The black/white/red colour palate reminded me of Caffe Sorrentino interiors, but with the addition of carpet, plush banquets and high-mounted mirrors, the space had a modern sophistication a cut above its coffee house cousins. The floor-to-ceiling windows also helped dispel the myth that steakhouses must be cavernous and dimly lit. I really appreciated the interior, and had high hopes for the food.

Interior

The menu provided better range than a typical steakhouse as well, with Italian-inspired dishes such as panzanella and seafood fritters, which would satisfy even those not wishing to partake in heavier entrees. Annie ended up going that route, ordering a risotto cake and bison Carpaccio, while the rest of us chose dishes from the steak menu (most which are accompanied with the day’s potato and vegetable). It is worth noting that Bistecca sources some of their meat from local farms – Spring Creek Ranch and Crystal Creek – and prices were more reasonable than I expected, ranging from $26 for a duo of flank and flat iron steaks to $85 for a 32 ounce Porterhouse for two.

Parmigiano-Reggiano risotto cake with shaved smoked duck, Morello cherry, berry peppercorn oil

While none of us were floored by our selections, most of us enjoyed our meals. My order of braised Spring Creek Ranch short ribs ($28) was pretty generous, fully de-boned, and necessarily tender. The fat-to-meat ratio was also less than I’ve usually encountered, without significant detriment to flavour. I didn’t take to the polenta cake underneath, however – stringy and tasteless, I could have done without it.

Short ribs

Beef tenderloin (6 ounces, $32)

Marinated steak duo (flank and flat iron steaks, $26)

The only really egregious error that occurred that night was with one companion’s “Bistecca” (a 14 ounce rib-eye, $37), which had been prepared medium-well instead of the requested rare. The server apologized for the error, and had a replacement steak prepared promptly.

The “Bistecca”

Service wavered a bit, as our waiter had a tendency to disappear when we needed him most (such as informing him about the overcooked dish). Still, our experience was mostly positive, and as a result, I wouldn’t mind returning to Bistecca in the future if I had a craving for steak served in an elegant but comfortable dining room.

Bistecca
2345 111 Street
(780) 439-7335
Monday-Thursday 3-10pm, Friday-Saturday 3-11pm, Sunday 4-9pm

The 2010 PMA International Winemaker’s Dinner at Madison’s Grill

Tuesday was a funny day. One minute, I was mopping up the lake that had overtaken our office bathroom (there is something to be said about reliable plumbing), the next, I was at a posh food and wine event at the always elegant Madison’s Grill.

I can’t express how fortunate Mack and I were to be the recipients of an extremely generous gift – two tickets to the Peter Mielzynski Agencies (PMA) International Winemaker’s dinner, the gateway to an evening of glorious food, liberally poured spirits and the company of some of the most renowned winemakers in the world. At $160 a ticket, it was out of our price range, but Monique and Patrick, who we had met at the Farmers’ Market Dinner at the same venue a few months back, were unable to attend, and asked us if we could go in their place. We accepted, and thanked them profusely.

One of several glasses of wine that night

While Mack and I enjoy wine, we admittedly aren’t very knowledgeable about it – growing regions, grape varieties, aging processes – all of it forms a murky haze for us. And though one night does not cure all, to have the opportunity to be exposed to those whose enthusiasm and passion for wine exuded through their pores was intoxicating (or was that the wine?).

A sea of glasses

We arrived at the restaurant just after 6:00, greeted by floating trays of hors d’ouvres and the offer of a sweet grass martini made with Calvados (apple brandy). Not long after, Chef Blair Lebsack spotted us in the crowd and came to greet us personally – his ability to make everyone feel welcome is something that elevates him in the industry, in my opinion.

Eventually, we found ourselves at a table where the common denominator was an interest in wine. PMA, which put together the dinner (we found out later that PMA represents some of the top wine labels in the world), ensured that one of the seven wine and spirit makers present were seated at each of the seven tables. Our table was fortunate to dine with the affable Craig McDonald, who works at the Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery in Niagara, and is considered one of the best winemakers in Canada.

Whites

The Farmers’ Market Dinner had exposed us to the concept of a chef’s introduction of a dish, and how the preamble about the ingredients and processes undertaken to create the final result enriches the meal. An additional layer was added to the PMA dinner, as the winemaker was given the microphone first, to introduce their company and products. Not only was it interesting to hear the stories behind some of the spirits, I was also amazed by the history and generations-old expertise in the room. Lamberto Frescobaldi’s family, for example, has been in the winemaking business for seven hundred years in Tuscany.

Reds

Blair then took the floor before cutlery was raised, and explained why the kitchen thought the dish in front of us would pair well with the wine or spirit we were drinking. Halfway through the dinner, Mack remarked, “I never really appreciated pairings until now.” I felt the same way.

Innis & Gunn beer

The amuse bouche of pickled beet and carrot terrine was meant to refresh our palate after the heavier scallop, tuna tartare and foie gras hors d’ouvres. It was exactly that, a pop of acidity that complemented the sweet and bubbly Pongracz Cap Classique from South Africa.

Pickled beet and carrot terrine with dill salsa verde

The first course was Mack’s favourite – an unassuming combination of steamed PEI mussels with braised pork belly. He thought the pairing, with a Wayne Gretzky Estate Series Chardonnay, was a dream, and loved the textural play of the mussels and the meltingly tender pork.

Steamed PEI mussels and braised pork belly

The next course was my favourite – an upside down smoked duck and gouda tart. As soon as the plate was put down in front of me, I was in sensory overload, under the spell of the fragrant aroma. The duck breast was perfectly cooked, fatty and toothsome, while peach preserves offset the richness of the buttery tart. I am normally not a fan of beer, but I couldn’t help but enjoy the pairing with an Innis & Gunn beer, which played off the smokiness well.

Upside down smoked duck and gouda tart

The nicoise salad with seared ahi tuna served as a good bridge to the denser courses that followed. The beans deserve a special mention, still crisp and light.

Nicoise salad

The fourth course of thyme rubbed Nouveau Beef petite tender was unforgettable. With truffle appearing in more mainstream restaurants, sometimes unnecessarily, this dish reminded me why it is such a glorious ingredient to begin with – creamy and fragrant, both Mack and I wanted to bathe in the white truffle hollandaise. This dish also exemplifies Blair’s exquisite attention to detail – as the beef was paired with a Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir from Oregon, he made sure that the accompanying wild mushrooms (and white truffle) were also sourced from that state.

Thyme rubbed Nouveau Beef petite tender

The final main, paired with a bold and full-bodied Collazzi Toscana from Italy, was Blair’s clever homage to rustic, “meat and potatoes” Italian food. Instead of doing a traditional mashed or boiled potatoes, however, the plate featured an extravagant potato-lobster lasagne, with the starchy spud layers standing in for pasta.

Oven roasted Pilatus Farms bison tenderloin

Dessert (accompanied by our eighth drink that night, a Kunde Reserve Century Vines Zinfandel) was a sinfully rich chocolate-almond silk cake, tempered somewhat with a wild berry compote. Needless to say, I was happy we were offered coffee to end the night, the caffeine helping somewhat to gather my bearings.

Chocolate-almond silk cake

At the end of the “epic meal” (Mack’s words), the kitchen staff were applauded with a much-deserved standing ovation. From start to finish, it was an incredible dinner, and an evening we won’t soon forget. We are indebted to Monique and Patrick for this experience.